It is generally recognized that freshly brewed coffee is superior in flavor to the various instant coffees currently available in the market. Instant coffees are popular in spite of their flavor because of their convenience. A cup of hot instant coffee is prepared by simply dissolving a measure of instant coffee material into a cup of hot water and stirring. On the other hand, freshly brewed coffee typically requires apparatus for slowly running hot water through ground coffee while keeping the grounds from entering the final product. Such apparatus must be washed and stored away after use and are therefore impractical for brewing a single cup of coffee.
Prior apparatus for brewing a single cup of beverage such as coffee or tea typically comprise a water-permeable receptacle such as a bag containing the solid beverage material, i.e., ground coffee or tea leaves. The receptacle is placed in a cup of hot water and manually agitated in order to circulate hot water through the beverage material. A stick or spoon is often used to force the receptacle against the bottom and sides of the cup to increase circulation. An example of such a device is disclosed in Lamb et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,054. Examples of other such devices of which I am aware are shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Eaton 2,285,113, Haut 2,092,510, Perry, Jr. 2,484,461, Hiscock 2,749,834 and Weisman 3,139,344.
While such apparatus are generally somewhat satisfactory, circulation of the hot water through the receptacle is inadequate for thoroughly brewing the beverage material. This is so because insufficient pressure is created in the receptacle to force the hot water through the innermost beverage material. As a result, the flavor of the liquid beverage is often diminished and an excessive amount of the beverage material must be provided inside the receptacle. Further, the prior art apparatus of which I am aware are inconvenient to use because the beverage-soaked, receptacle that must be removed from the cup and discarded often drips which is offensive. Therefore, insofar as I am aware, none of these devices has become commercially successful.